Perfect Saturday with the Perfect Pies: Lauretta Jean’s

PSU Farmer’s Market • laurettajean.com

When it’s a beautiful Saturday morning, all I want to do is wander through the Farmer’s Market.  I love the people watching, dreaming up what fun creations I can make with all the fresh produce, and trying to stop myself from purchasing every delicious prepared treat available (and there are a lot!).  This past Saturday, I headed out in the warm sunshine to do just that. 

Rustic and adorable

As I zig-zagged past the baby strollers and tables of asparagus and flower bouquets, a cute and rustic booth caught my eye.  With an adorable red patterned tablecloth and a display case that looked like the side of an old house, Lauretta Jean’s booth makes you feel like you are back at Mama’s house in the country, eagerly waiting for the pie to cool on the windowsill.  I had been hearing for a while that this was the place to get a slice of pie, so I was pretty excited when I unintentionally found their Farmer’s Market homestead.  

While there were some pretty great looking savory pies, such as the Asparagus Bacon and Leek, I of course had to go with their sweet pies.  I happily purchased a slice of their strawberry rhubarb pie since that just about defines summertime to me.  They also have cute little “pie sliders” which are about 2-3 bites big.  On Saturday, they had two options to choose from: strawberry cream and chocolate with whipped cream.  Owner Kate McMillen illustrated how fantastic they are when she told me that “the little mini cream pies steal my heart, I’m a sucker for anything creamy.” 

Everything was delicious and made me think of a great homecooked dessert – these are the type of pies you’d love your mom to make on a warm summer evening (don’t take offense Mom, your pies are great too! 🙂 ).  I guess it’s not surprising then that Kate was inspired to open this little pie operation by both her mother and her grandmother, Lauretta Jean.  It may sound a little cheesy or cliché, but the pies did taste like they were made with love – fresh, high-quality ingredients baked into beautiful pies.  As I indulged, I day-dreamt about enjoying them on a porch swing with a big glass of lemonade.  Unfortunately there was no porch swing nearby (it was the Park Blocks downtown after all), but Lauretta Jean’s did also offer some great cherry lemonade!    

Strawberry Cream Pie Slider - the taste of summer

What to Get:

• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie: Tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries balanced perfectly by the amazingly delicious cinnamon, brown sugar streusel on top. 
• Strawberry Cream Pie Slider: Fresh strawberries and sweet cream filling on top of a fantastic flaky, buttery crust. 

Other Facts:

• PSU Farmer’s Market: Located at SW Park & SW Montgomery, it is open on Saturdays from 8:30am – 2pm.
• Other Markets: Lauretta Jean’s will soon be at the Pioneer Square Market on Tuesdays at 12 noon, and at the World Trade Center on Thursdays from 11am-1:30pm.
• Retail: For all of you Lauretta Jean’s fans out there wondering when you will be able to buy her pies outside of the Farmer’s Market, Kate says that “of course I think about a storefront, but that is a ways away.”  So until then, be patient and keep frequenting the markets! 🙂

I'd eat this every day - Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Streusel Topping